Universities in Iran are an important battleground for people’s fight for emancipation. Student protests are a part of Iranian people’s huge fight for freedom and equality and maintaining a humane society. Every year on Students’ day (December the 7th which is called “16th of Azar” in Iranian Calendar is official Students’ Day in Iran. Students have used this day for left-wing protests in recent years), student upheavals in Iran are at their peak of challenging the Islamic Republic of Iran. This year, students are welcoming Students’ Day while the Islamic regime has strengthened its policy of oppression and intimidation in universities. Resisting students have been suspended or dismissed from university, faced with prison sentences or killed under suspicious circumstances. Universities of Iran, more than a place for education, have become a place for the mobilization of the regime’s security forces and the enforcement of reactionary Islamic regulations to suppress students.

The students’ fight against religious regulations and laws in society and the university has always been met with the repression of the regime’s police forces. So many times student struggles have turn to bloodshed with many losing their lives or facing long-term imprisonment. Despite the policy of oppression and persecution, though, the students’ struggle has not stopped. This year, like others, students are preparing for Students’ Day. They are organising a vast protest against the ruling regime and its reactionary laws and regulations. The freedom of political prisoners, clothing, and speech as well as an end to compulsory veiling, segregation of men and women, and students’ oppression are amongst their demands.

Students need international support!

The university in Iran is a base for the freedom and emancipation of all Iranian people. Therefore, they deserve your utmost support.

As the struggle of Tehran Bus Workers was met with warm international support, so too should the students’ struggles. Just as trade unions and human rights groups are defending the Tehran bus workers, student unions, trade unions, and human rights bodies should support the students.

We must not abandon them!

Don’t abandon the students in their fight against the ruling reactionaries in Iran for freedom and equality. Cover their struggles. Support them by any means possible, including organising solidarity meetings, joining demonstrations, sending letters of protest, signing petitions, etc. in condemnation of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s oppression of student. Demand the release of student prisoners. Demand the prosecution of those who have murdered student protestors. Support the students’ demands for the end to religious law and regulations in university and the policy of segregation of men and women in university campuses and society. Support their demand for pushing out security and oppressive forces from the universities. Support their campaign against compulsory veiling and their demand for an end to Sexual Apartheid!

Victory to Student’s struggle for Freedom and Equality!
Long Live International Solidarity with Iranian students!
Worker-communist Party of Iran – Organisation Abroad
December 3, 2006

* Let’s organise nationwide student protests on 16 Azar!
A declaration from the Communist Youth Organisation

Pressure on the student movement from the Islamic regime of Iran has never succeeded in stopping student protests. But this is not enough; we should make the protests united and nation-wide. We should take an offensive position. The recent protests of students in Amirkabir University, the hunger strike of students in Mazandaran province, the sit-in of Students in Zabol University and recent protests in Tarbiat Moalem University, Karaj are just examples that tell us about the capacity and potential of an offensive against Islamic rule and in breaking the police-like atmosphere of intimidation in universities.

On the eve of 16 Azar (December 7), we should expand the protests and respond to each and every offence of the Islamic Republic. We should protest the decrees of discipline committees, the presence of Basij and military forces and the police-like atmosphere of religious tyranny and inquisition in the universities. We should protest all forms of apartheid and separations between girls and boys. We should protest the lack of welfare facilities and the low quality of lectures. These protests should be united and nation-wide to build a fierce front against the Islamic regime. The widespread support of university protests is the first duty of all students. The students’ demands are the same in all the universities. Dismissal of oppressive security forces from educational centres, dismissal of religious bodies from the scientific atmosphere, and the abolition of sexual apartheid together with an increase in the scientific quality and services according to the highest international standards. These are the demands of all students. We should unite everywhere to secure these demands.

The Communist Youth Organisation calls on all students for coordinated, non-stop, and widespread struggles to reach these demands. The Islamic regime is not in a situation to bear wide protests. This actions and protests will be a base for a 16th of Azar, vaster and more Radical than ever.

The CYO now has an English publication called Iran Student News, which you can read by clicking here.

* Sign a petition in support of students in Iran

We, the undersigned, support the struggle of students in Iran and demand the release of imprisoned students and all other political prisoners in Iran.
Name Email address Town/City Organisation (If applicable)

Send this to: BM Box 1919, London WC1N 3XX or email to wpiengland@yahoo.co.uk.